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Here's a story I wrote about a buddy of mine -- I thought you'd like his latest project:Summertime CuesWe all know someone who readily says, I can do that. In a bygone era, we called them a jack-of-all-trades. The best of them not only make the job seem effortless, but also are happy showing others how they can achieve the same ends for themselves.Jonathan Fouts is a contractor in Akron, Ohio, with skills from woodworking to welding. He also likes to cook, especially for large gatherings. So when he was assisting a friend who was preparing a medieval-style feast for 200 this past June, Jon said, I can get my butcher to set us up with a 200-lb. calf. (Of course, Jon has his own butcher.) How are you going to cook a 200-lb calf?, came the question.Dont worry, said Jon. I can do that.His solution was to build a roaster from a 250-gallon fuel storage drum. The calf was wired to the spit, to prevent it from slipping around during cooking, with a wheel welded on one end used to rotate the spit.Naturally, the first step would be to clean any residue from the drum before putting a torch to it. According to Jon, I was actually pleased that the drum originally held fuel oil, because its an unrefined product with minimal toxicity.After opening the 1/2-in. drain plug on the bottom and draining the residual fuel oil into a container, Jon filled the drum with water combined with a couple of pounds of salt, to force out flammable vapor and to start dissolving some of the remaining oil residue. Jon also reasoned that adding salt to the water would reduce the chance of combustion by slightly lowering the waters temperature. Then he drained the tank onto my gravel driveway, to kill the weeds.Jon used his oxy-acetylene torch to cut the main door. He started cutting when the tank was half-drained so that the melt would drop into water, and prevent it from igniting oil residues or sticking to the tank sides. Once the door was cut, he scrubbed the interior with more salt, rinsed the salt out with water, and then poured a bottle of rum onto the remaining oil residue at the bottom of the tank.The rum, laughs Jon, is a good natural solvent. He lit a crumpled sheet of paper and tossed it into the drum to ignite the rum and burn away the remaining residue. As a final step, Jon combined a bottle of Pepto-Bismol with water in a garden sprayer and washed down the inside of the tank. The chalk content of the Pepto-Bismol, Jon says, absorbs anything that could be remaining.The bungholes on the drum were removed for venting, and draft ports were cut into the bottom of the drum. A large access door, and two lower doors to accommodate a tray for coals, were cut into the drum and then reattached with welded-on hinges. Handles of rod stock were added to the main door, and hasps were welded to the lower doors to act as handles and to keep them from opening during transport. The charcoal basket (behind Jon in the photo) was made from industrial wire shelving that he cut apart and welded together. The roaster stands on its original pipe legs, with 4 1/2-in. washers welded on as feet.Jon also brought out the rotisserie shown in the second picture, which he built several years ago. Threaded rod supports six removable spits that carry as many as 48 chickens for roasting. Attached ImagesLast edited by RichardWDF; 08-29-2006 at 03:23 PM.
Reply:Lets Eat!!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Yum!!!! But I think my neighbors (in the City) might have some opinions.Neat ideas.Weekend MigBackyard MechanicWelder: DECASTAR 150E, Wire Feed w/ Gas Potential (not currently using gas)
Reply:Originally Posted by Weekend MigYum!!!! But I think my neighbors (in the City) might have some opinions.Neat ideas.
Reply:Good point. Weekend MigBackyard MechanicWelder: DECASTAR 150E, Wire Feed w/ Gas Potential (not currently using gas) |
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